tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27760240.post5488192733296794352..comments2017-12-12T03:56:26.963-06:00Comments on American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL): Romantic Fiction, Historical Fiction, and American IndiansDebbie Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972409006633565859noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27760240.post-82611644199442131382009-12-22T14:15:25.242-06:002009-12-22T14:15:25.242-06:00I understand your problems with Cassie Edwards&#39...I understand your problems with Cassie Edwards&#39; books (and share your concerns) but I wish you didn&#39;t have to stereotype romance readers while you did it. You of all people should know that stereotypes aren&#39;t useful at all. Romance readers are a wide swath of the reading populace - not all women, DEFINITELY not all moms, teachers and librarians!! Even if most are women, not all women are moms, teachers or librarians or have any prolonged contact with children. :/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27760240.post-29410179571932384542008-01-16T16:09:00.000-06:002008-01-16T16:09:00.000-06:00In an interview in an issue of The New Advocate se...In an interview in an issue of The New Advocate several years back, Ann Rinaldi was asked about that critical review. She responded somewhat dismissively to the question, saying something like, "I was told it was an internet thing". (Because nothing important happens on the internet?? Not clear what she meant there.) She did not acknowledge that many of the review's co-authors were in fact Native scholars, teachers, librarians, etc., or address any of the concerns raised in the review regarding accuracy, etc. I have lost that copy of New Advocate so can't fact-check myself.<BR/><BR/>With all due respect to one's felt-connection to one's great-grandmother: I would hesitate to speculate which of my own behaviors would have made any of my great-grandmothers proud, and which would have earned me a scolding. Ms. Edwards seems to feel she is giving voice to the voiceless -- when in fact Native people are NOT silent. They are speaking, and some of them are voicing objections to her work!!! <BR/><BR/> Romance fandom being what it is, I wonder if romance writers are accustomed to receiving much criticism at all?jpmnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27760240.post-84794904946881475242008-01-15T06:47:00.000-06:002008-01-15T06:47:00.000-06:00I don't recall that Rinaldi responded. At an NCTE ...I don't recall that Rinaldi responded. <BR/><BR/>At an NCTE conference, she was there signing books. I introduced myself.<BR/><BR/>She drew back from the table and said she would never write a book about American Indians again. I wouldn't describe her pulling back as fear, or her remarks as angry. In reflection, it was not the right place to ask the question. It was a long line of fans, wanting her signature on whatever book was out at the time. <BR/><BR/>I told her I thought it would be good if we could talk about the book and a rewrite, that it could be a marvelous teachable moment for everyone. <BR/><BR/>She said again that she'd never write a book about American Indians. <BR/><BR/>That was the end of the conversation. No drama; just a brief exchange.Debbie Reesehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14972409006633565859noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27760240.post-47488774268502651712008-01-15T00:52:00.000-06:002008-01-15T00:52:00.000-06:00Did Rinaldi ever respond to the criticisms about M...Did Rinaldi ever respond to the criticisms about My Heart is On the Ground?Alkelda the Gleefulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04733517166056974501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27760240.post-49630047601822288922008-01-14T09:58:00.000-06:002008-01-14T09:58:00.000-06:00The site now has a possible response from Cassie E...The site now has a possible response from Cassie Edwards. I will note it has note been confirmed as authentic, but it's worth noting for the contents of "same song, different verse".<BR/><BR/>"The sad thing is that I am writing these books now in a way to honor our Native Americans, past, present and in the future. And I am honoring my great grandmother who was a full blood Cheyenne. She would be so proud of me if she could read what I am writing about the Indians who have been so maligned for so long. And do you know? I feel picked on now as our Native American Indians have always been picked on throughout history. I am trying to spread the word about them and what do I get? Spiteful women who have found a way to bring attention to themselves, by getting in the media in this horrible way. "Terrienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27760240.post-47681610785077905452008-01-13T19:35:00.000-06:002008-01-13T19:35:00.000-06:00If memory serves, somebody has noted a trend in hi...If memory serves, somebody has noted a trend in historical fiction for young people (and I seem to remember a couple of "Indian-themed" books with teenage girl protagonists specifically) toward almost PREPARING teen readers for the historical romance subgenre of adult fiction. That is, there are not-so-subtle parallels in situations depicted and in the prose used to depict them that kind of presage or set the stage for what awaits the young female reader when she "graduates" to the next level: Savage Love or whatever.... It was strange to learn that there are several lines or whatever of romance novels that deal in their own inimitable way with Native-white relationships, but every now and then one can spot them in the drugstore book section. Usually it's the protagonists who are white (in my limited experience) while the male objects of their passion are NOT actually full-blood Lakota or whatever, but are white boys who "grew up with Indians" OR are mixed blood but pretty much always descended from a chief.jpmnoreply@blogger.com